Redress Design Group

Key points

> An independent candidate review panel has now been appointed to consider the nominations and make recommendations to the Minister for the Public Service.

> More than 100 nominations were received.

> We will issue Pānui from the Crown Response Unit as and when we can tell you about progress with the new, independent redress system.  

If you would like to receive a Pānui update, please email: contact@abuseinquiryresponse.govt.nz with 'Pānui' in the email subject line.

Appointments

Nominations are now closed for design and advisory groups that will develop proposals for ministers for a new, independent, trauma-informed redress system, Puretumu Torowhānui, for survivors of abuse in care.

Thank you everyone who sent in a nomination – we received more than 100 nominations.  An independent candidate review panel has been appointed to work through the nominations. 

Independent candidate review panel

The Minister for the Public Service has appointed a small independent review panel to consider the nominations to the Redress Design Group and an Advisory Group.

The members of the candidate review panel are:

• Tu Chapman (Chair)
• Gary Williams
• Rahui Papa
• Amanda Hill

Information about each of the panel members can be found here: Information about Panel members [PDF, 213 KB]

Collectively the members of the review panel have:

• recognised mana in the kaupapa of redress and healing
• recognised mana in advocating for or representing survivors
• recognised mana in te ao Māori and mātauranga Māori
• an understanding of the impacts of trauma and abuse for survivors from a range of backgrounds and contexts
• an understanding, and experience of, design and advisory groups and processes
• experience in running nomination or recruitment processes
• experience working with Ministers.

Over the next couple of weeks, the review panel will review each application and identify a shortlist of nominees who will be invited to meet the panel. This will not be an easy task, due to the nature of the work and the quality of nominees.

Design Group Chair

A Design Group Chair will be appointed by the Minister for the Public Service, in consultation with the Minister for Māori Crown Relations. As part of the appointment process the Minister for the Public Service will also go through the Cabinet Appointments and Honours Committee.

Design Group and Advisory Group members

Members will be appointed to the groups by the Minister for the Public Service, based on advice from the independent review panel and consideration of the appointments by the Cabinet Appointments and Honours Committee. The review panel may like to meet (virtually) with shortlisted nominees before making recommendations for appointment.

Announcements

The names of people appointed to the design group, advisory group and the Design Group Chair will be published on this page and a Pānui will be issued. If you would like to receive a Pānui update, please email: contact@abuseinquiryresponse.govt.nz with 'Pānui' in the email subject line.

What

The Redress Design Group will have up to 10 members, plus a Chair. The Design Group will be supported by an Advisory Group of up to 20 members, with the ability to work in smaller groups as needed.

Although the design process will be survivor-led, survivors have told us they do not want to work from a 'blank slate'. Material will be compiled by the Crown Response Unit to support the group's decision making, drawing on insights that survivors have already shared with the Royal Commission.

The Redress Design Group will produce high-level design proposals to provide to the Minister for the Public Service. The high-level proposals will cover:

• comment on the system’s intended principles, purpose, functions, and scope, with the option to outline a strong case for alteration to any of the specific aspects, especially from a Treaty perspective
• how the system should safely connect with and support survivors to navigate their redress journey – how redress needs to “look and feel” to give survivors confidence in the redress system and to provide them with a safe, accessible, trauma informed, and culturally responsive experience
• the types and mix of services and supports that should ideally be provided as part of each function
• feedback on draft apology and payment frameworks, example redress models and proposals prepared by the Crown Response Unit, with a focus on what is needed to support meaningful recognition of the harms people have experienced
• an outline of the critical issues that will need to be considered in the detailed design and implementation planning, including cost estimates and phasing of implementation.

The Advisory Group or its sub-groups would provide advice and feedback to the Design Group on major elements of the high-level redress design before the Design Group’s final recommendations are made to the Minister. Subject to Cabinet decisions, further detailed design and implementation work will continue after that, with ongoing survivor involvement.

How

The Redress Design Group is expected to hold regular hui (in person and online, there may be about 4 weeks' worth of work during this time. The Advisory Group is expected to work for about two weeks.

Appointed members to both groups will be paid for their time and expenses.

Both groups will mainly work from their own homes or offices, and have access to a computer with email, Word, Teams/Zoom. Arrangements will be made for people who cannot access a computer. They will also receive any 'reasonable accommodations' needed to support them to participate.

Skills and experience required

Survivors of abuse in State or faith-based care, advocates, and relevant subject matter experts, were encouraged to submit a nomination to join either the Redress Design Group or the Advisory Group and have at least some of the following attributes:

• personal experience as a survivor and/or experience representing or advocating for survivor communities
• relevant specialist subject matter expertise (as described below) 
• ability to work collaboratively to deliver positive outcomes, including the ability to manage personal trauma 
• a range of experience, skills, and competencies 
• strong understanding and commitment to applying Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the support of survivors.

Collectively, the Design Group and Advisory Group membership is required to have:  

• survivors from a range of backgrounds and contexts, including but not limited to Māori, Pacific, Deaf and Disabled, rangatahi, and LGBTQI, residential, faith-based and State care, survivors who have been in prisons, gangs or have lived in rural areas
• a wide range of subject matter expertise, including wellbeing services, psychology, mātauranga Māori, disability issues, human rights, understanding of trauma and being trauma informed, service design, development, and implementation and public policy 
• active networks within survivor communities, with Māori and other organisations that support and advocate on behalf of survivors, iwi and hapū groups 
• experience in grassroots community support and service organisations  
• experience of applying Te Tiriti in services, systems, and organisations  
• a gender balance and a Māori majority, given the over-representation of Māori in State care.

The Royal Commission recommendations

The Redress Design Group follows recommendations of the Royal Commission on Abuse in Care. In December 2021, the Royal Commission published its report on redress(external link) – “redress” includes things like claims and apologies that may help recognise the profound harm suffered by survivors of abuse in care.

The report’s main recommendation was to set up a new redress system, puretumu torowhānui, independent of government and churches, to restore the power, dignity and standing of those affected by abuse in care. At the time the report was released, the Government announced(external link) it would design a new scheme as recommended.

The new redress system is a major initiative for communities that have experienced trauma from abuse in care over many decades. Designing it is a complex task that will take some time, because of the diverse needs of different survivor communities.

The Crown Response Unit acknowledges the delay since the report release has concerned some survivors; however there has been considerable “behind the scenes” work preparing for this phase of the work, with input from survivors.

We intend to make regular announcements in future on progress with this work.

Where to get support

Your wellbeing is important to us during this process. If you feel any form of distress, please reach out to the support available for you, your whānau or support person: For survivors | Crown response to the Abuse in Care Inquiry (abuseinquiryresponse.govt.nz)(external link)